COUNCILS SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES IN AND AFTER EMERGENCIESCouncils provide essential community support in the event of an emergency, such as a bushfire, through evacuation and recovery centres, provision of information and community recovery.

With fires still smouldering, the experience of the bushfires of early 2019 is still fresh to many Tasmanians, especially those in the significantly affected communities of the Central Highlands and Huon Valley. These communities were threatened with emergency bushfire warnings for many days, bringing considerable anxiety and major disruption.

Council evacuation centres are fundamental in an emergency, proving basic shelter for people and pets and access to critical information. The recent fires saw councils pull together with their communities. Kingborough Council stepped in to undertake the critical role of communications for the Huon Valley Council, which was without communications staff at the time. In addition, councils from around the state provided support to Huon Valley Council by assisting in the evacuation centre. This helped relieve staff at Huon Valley Council but also provided excellent learning opportunities for councils who don’t regularly open their evacuation centres.

Many volunteers and community services worked together to make Huon Valley Council’s evacuation centre a physical and

emotionally safe space for people who were at their most vulnerable. People safe in their homes brought food and entertainment for those in the centre and helped look after pets. Councils worked closely with emergency services, state government, and volunteers to keep their community safe and provide critical local knowledge.

Distance was not a barrier to assistance with West Tamar Council generously donating $5000 to the Central Highlands and Huon Valley Councils. Funds donated to the Central Highland Council will be used for firefighting equipment while funds for the Huon Valley will go to purchasing an emergency response trailer.

A key role of a council in an emergency is to provide information. No matter the emergency, people crave information that is trusted and relevant to them. In addition to critical operational issues provided by emergency services, communities need information on issues such as road closures, available financial assistance, support programs and key contacts. Regular community briefings at evacuation centres help keep the community informed.

During the Huon Valley bushfires, the Council streamed the community briefings via Facebook, which enabled many people who could not physically attend the meetings,

to get real time updates from the Tasmanian Fire Service, Police and the Council. This innovation was welcomed by the community and can be used by other councils.

As a community leader, the Mayor plays an important role in reassuring community members and keeping them updated. Mayors can also provide a broader voice of the community’s direct experience to emergency services providers and the media. In the recent bushfires, Huon Valley Mayor Bec Enders and Central Highland Mayor Loueen Triffitt did a fantastic job regularly speaking to the media, in addition to their critical roles on site.

Councils continue to be heavily involved in the recovery of their communities. This includes working closely with the State Government Recovery Taskforce and the community to address the infrastructure, social, environmental and economic recovery needs of their communities. Evaluation of emergency events is a key step in improving future response activities. Councils are keen to learn from the recent bushfires, share information across the sector and collaborate with state government and emergency services to be best equipped to respond to future emergencies.

www.lgat.tas.gov.au

April 2019Evacuation Centre for Huon Valley Council

BRIDGEWATER PARKLAND COMMUNITY PLAYGROUND BRIGHTON COUNCIL

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGEIn this edition of LGTas we are showcasing some of the many ways councils support their communities.

This includes community

infrastructure such as halls

and playgrounds and helping

communities respond to, and

recover from, natural disasters

- like this year’s bushfires in the Huon Valley -

Tasmanian councils are working at the grass roots

level.

Councils are responding to community needs

when they provide health services and support

the elderly and those in isolation, when they

support tourism and economic growth in their

municipalities and when they build places for

young people to gather safely.

More and more communities are expecting

councils to speak for them on matters of concern

to a wider audience, including other levels of

Government. They are also looking for Local

Government to lead change - the waste agenda

being one example of where Tasmanian councils

are stepping up.

These activities, and more, likely contribute to the

relatively strong connection with, and high trust

in Local Government nationally. In Tasmania,

we saw evidence of the increasing engagement

with councils during October 2018 elections,

with the highest voter turnout in 20 years.

Further, the preliminary findings from LGAT’s

latest community satisfaction survey suggest that

communities have ‘good’ satisfaction with the

performance of their council - with an average

state-wide rating of 6.92 out of 10 (final results

will be available at the July AGM).

While some stakeholders might debate the

form and function of councils, ultimately Local

Government is still important, relevant and

responsive to their communities and continues to

play an important role in our State.

Mayor Doug Chipman

President, LGAT

An exciting new community playground is now open in Bridgewater! Launched in September 2018, the community playground is the first stage of Brighton Council’s Bridgewater Parkland Master Plan 2016-2026.

Endorsed by Council in 2016, the Bridgewater Parkland Master Plan

encompasses a valuable area of public open space positioned between the

River Derwent and Bridgewater commercial precinct.

The community playground features a new children’s play area, kick-to-kick

oval, toilets, bbq shelters, seating and a network of footpaths that provide links

throughout the Bridgewater community.

To fund the project, Brighton Council received a $430,000 Federal Grant

under the Building Better Futures Fund as well as a generous contribution of

$150,000 from the Affordable Community Housing Alliance Tasmania Limited.

Brighton Council contributed the balance of the $1 million build.

The new playground enables local families, children and young people to have

access to an exciting play area in a convenient and safe environment. Natural

features such as logs, rocks and water encourage informal, unstructured play

and encourages kids to explore.

This facility creates opportunities to increase levels of physical activity for the

whole community, in turn helping people to lead healthier lifestyles through

participation in more play, walking, cycling and general activity.

The location of the playground in the heart of the residential community,

ensures that it is easy to see and easy to access. Its visual prominence entices

people to use the facility and reminds the community what they have on their

doorstep. The central location also encourages residents and visitors to walk

or cycle to the playground using new foot and cycle paths that connect from

within Bridgewater and now extend into the Parkland Master Plan area.

In partnership with landscape architecture and urban design consultancy Play

Street, Brighton Council were determined to deliver a community asset of a

quality not seen before in the historically disadvantaged area of Bridgewater.

Parks and other social infrastructure in the area had previously been subject

to significant vandalism and so was often built to be “bomb proof” rather

than functional, enjoyable and aesthetically pleasing. Even when the opening

of the community playground was announced on Facebook, there were

multiple comments along the lines of Council are ‘wasting their money, it’ll be

vandalised by the local hooligans in no time’.

For the project, Council adopted a positive mindset that if Council provided a

high-quality area that the community could value, then the community would

repay the faith and would look after it.

In the six months the playground has been open, the community playground is

well used, there has been almost no vandalism and Council has received great

community feedback.

Bridgewater Parkland Community Playground

LG Tas April 2019 | PAGE 2

BRIDGEWATER PARKLAND COMMUNITY PLAYGROUND BRIGHTON COUNCIL Many older people who live in Hobart

are passionate gardeners, but may sometimes find keeping active in their own gardens challenging.

The City of Hobart’s Still Gardening program

connects ‘Garden Mates’ with older people

in their local communities to help them stay

active in their home gardens.

‘Garden Mates’ are dedicated and inspiring

volunteers of all ages who work one-on-one

with older people in their back yards, helping

with difficult jobs such as weeding, pruning

and lifting heavy objects. ‘Garden Mate’

volunteers assist an older person for one or

two hours a week with simple gardening jobs

as well as provide a friendly face with whom

they can share their passion for gardens.

Volunteers are provided with an induction,

first aid training, skills-based workshops and

reimbursement for travel.

Besides being enjoyable, gardening provides

gentle exercise and offers many health

benefits including reducing stress and

promoting relaxation, which can aid in better

sleep. Gardening can also help facilitate

social interactions and assist with mental

health.

Often people feel that maintaining a garden is

burdensome and it can be one of the reasons

an older person leaves their home. Matching

Hobart and Glenorchy’s older community

members with a ‘Garden Mate’ can keep them

doing what they love; getting their hands

dirty and enjoying the outdoors. Encouraging

low maintenance gardening often makes it

easier for them to keep enjoying their home

gardens.

If you want to join the ‘Garden Mates’ team

and can give one or two hours a week to

an older person in the Hobart or Glenorchy

municipal area, visit www.hobartcity.com.au/

gardenmates or call 03 6236 9349 to find

out more information.

GARDENING MATES CITY OF HOBART

REBRANDING THE WEST COAST WEST COAST COUNCIL In early 2018 West Coast Council embarked on an ambitious project – to rebrand the West Coast.

This new brand would need to be more

than a logo and slogan. A dynamic brand

was needed, and it had to be community

driven; a true, regional brand, to showcase

the West Coast to the world, as a place to

live, work and visit.

Strong community engagement was vital

and a key deliverable for Council when

appointing a lead consultant. Enter For

The People, who immersed themselves in

the West Coast with almost fifty hours of

interviews, over 100 informal chats, five

community sessions and an active social

media channel providing opportunities for

ongoing dialogue.

To build an authentic brand the

community were asked: What’s true to

our past? What is true now? What will

always be true about the West Coast? What

was uncovered during the community

engagement was a strong connection

to place, from both long-term residents

and those new to the area. It could be

describes as ‘something that got under the

skin’.

The West Coast is rich in natural resources,

has a history of ingenuity and of conflicts

between man and nature. There was also

a deep-rooted stubbornness – both in its

people and the landscape. West Coasters

live on the terms of the land and with a

dark humour and love of storytelling.

The appeal of the West Coast is that it’s

untamed, challenging, and – to most –

unknown. All in all, the West Coast is

Just Outside Your Comfort Zone. Brand

concepts were exhibited in April 2018

providing the community with more

opportunities to be involved, allowing

for refinement of the brand narrative and

design. The brand was officially launched

during The Unconformity arts festival

in October, premiering two films. An

Instagram account (@westcoasttas) was

launched and a regional map – the Official

Guide to Getting Lost – was distributed

across Tasmania and is available onboard

the Spirit of Tasmania.

In January 2019 the brand was number

one in the BrandNew Annual Review Best

of 2018. The project also created the

West Coast Made Program, which offers

local businesses and organisations access

to brand assets and in April 2019 a new

regional website, www.westcoasttas.com,

will be launched.

In building an open-source brand with

the community, the West Coast Council

has been able to facilitate a project that

has captured the layers and complexities

of the region, developing a brand that

can evolve and bring opportunities to the

community.

West Coast Council Rebranding Garden team mates at work

LG Tas April 2019 | PAGE 3

ACCESS AND INCLUSION ASSESSMENT TOOLKIT CITY OF CLARENCE

BARRY JARVIS EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPS DORSET COUNCILTo support local students in Dorset to continue their education through years 11 and 12 of high school, Dorset Council runs an annual scholarship program. The scholarships are named in honour of the late Barry Jarvis, former Mayor of Dorset and President of the Local Government Association of Tasmania, who was a strong advocate of education in Dorset.

Commencing in 2015, the scholarship program recognised that

many students from the area faced financial constraints attending

high school or travelled long distances to attend high school in

Launceston, often affecting attendance. It was hoped that the

scholarships would help increase enrolments and attendance at

Scottsdale High School, resulting in more courses being made

available locally and reducing the need for many students to

travel to Launceston.

The program aims to support students who would like to come

back and live and work in Dorset eventually, however recognises

students may need to work in other places for a while before they

eventually find their way back home. The program includes five

high school scholarships for students entering Scottsdale High,

one apprenticeship/traineeship scholarship, one for agribusiness

and one for University.

The successful applicant for the 2019 Barry Jarvis University

Scholarship ($3000 for up to three years) is Louis Burr from

Scottsdale, to study a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science

at the University of Tasmania in Launceston. The Barry Jarvis

Agribusiness Scholarship ($2,500 per year for two years)

for 2019 was awarded to William Headlam, to study an

Agricultural Business Management course. The 2019 Barry

Jarvis Apprenticeship/Traineeship Scholarship was awarded

to Tom Saunders from Scottsdale. It includes $1,000 financial

with expenses associated with his Apprenticeship with Bridport

Electrical.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was something to help you know how to accommodate for all members of community when upgrading existing or designing new buildings or facilities, public open spaces, recreation and sporting venues? Well now there is!

Clarence City Council has developed an Access and Inclusion

Assessment Toolkit. Titled ‘The Human Factor’, the Toolkit

champions and supports the importance of accommodating

all people in the community when planning for and creating

accessible and inclusive environments. It was developed as a

collaborative project of Council’s Disability Access and Positive

Ageing Advisory Committees.

The unique resource assists with general design elements

for buildings, facilities, streetscapes, and recreational

spaces to deliver more accessible and inclusive facilities for

their community. It helps council staff assess the level of

accessibility to and within council’s existing buildings and

facilities and identify poor functionality or design issues early

on in the planning phases.

Incorporating legislative standards, universal design, inclusive

approaches and functionality to planning, the toolkit is

an easily navigated guide to suit any project, with fillable

components that can be completed online or in hard copy. The

toolkit is relevant and useful for those who:

• Plan for, and contract, others when working on upgrades

to or new buildings or facilities, public open spaces,

recreation and sporting venues

• Work on landscape design or streetscape projects

• Plan for and develop roads, pathways, transport, car

parking or track and trails and? want to ensure that

community spaces and places are safe

• Have an interest in the redevelopment of a council facility

You can request a copy of the toolkit here: www.ccc.tas.gov.

au/toolkitrequest

Barry Jarvies Education Scholarship recipients Clarence City Council Disability Access Advisory Committee members Lee Jordan & John Bates who assisted with the toolkit with Ross Park

LG Tas April 2019 | PAGE 4

SMOKE FREE CBD CENTRAL COAST COUNCIL Shopping in Ulverstone is good for you! In a Tasmanian first, Central Coast Council made history in 2018 when it banned smoking in its central business district (CBD), only the second municipality in Australia to do so.

The ground-breaking initiative means visiting the Ulverstone CBD is now a much healthier experience for shoppers, tourists, and for retail staff as well. Following extensive community consultation, including shop owners and staff, who have had to endure passive smoking for many years, councillors voted unanimously to bring in the smoke free designation.

Central Coast Council also sought support from the Cancer Council of Tasmania as part of the initiative. Quit Tasmania advised that 70% of Tasmanians agreed smoking should not be allowed in Tasmanian CBDs. Smoke free areas are an important component of a comprehensive tobacco control strategy, as these areas protect our community from exposure to second hand tobacco smoke, continue to de-normalise smoking, and support Tasmanians who are trying to quit.

A detailed media and community engagement plan was essential to the implementation of the smoke free CBD, with only three weeks between the Council’s decision and commencement. Council used its monthly e-newsletter and Facebook to inform all residents and stakeholders and then engaged with local media as the deadline neared. Collaboration with the local Chamber of Commerce helped relay the message to the business and retail communities.

In an innovative approach, Council enlisted the support of media studies students at the Ulverstone High School. The students made some fantastic posters reinforcing the smoke-free zones, which were printed for display within the CBD, and also posted on Council’s Facebook pages.

The initiative was launched with thanks to the local Rotary Club, who provided a community bbq. Ulverstone’s CBD is now a much cleaner, healthier and sweeter smelling place to shop, relax and catch-up.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT & MEN’S SHEDS ASSOCIATION WORKING TOGETHER The Tasmanian Men’s Sheds Association (TMSA) is the Peak Body for Men’s Sheds in Tasmania and in 2019 is celebrating its tenth year in operations. Currently, there are 60 Men’s Sheds in Tasmania with approximately 2,600 members.

Men’s Sheds play an extremely important role in community life,

especially in regional Tasmania. They provide a sense of belonging

for many and help to overcome one of today’s biggest social issues –

loneliness. The sheds are ideally placed to help improve the health and

wellbeing of many Tasmanian men.

Men’s Sheds are a safe space where men can connect and share

information, while also working on projects that benefit them, their shed

and the wider community. The direct health benefits from becoming

a member of a shed includes mateship, physical activity and also

provide opportunities for their members to be kept informed of many

health related issues, including mental health issues like anxiety and

depression.

Each shed is different, and each is filled with wonderful stories of life,

companionship and even survival. The work that takes place in sheds is

extremely varied. From blacksmith shops to stone masonry, even coffin

building – you will find superb examples of fine craftsmanship in every

shed.

Many of the sheds are situated on council land. This year, LGAT and

TMSA have started discussions around working together to support and

continue the very important community service that Mens Sheds are

collectively bringing to Tasmanian communities.

As a volunteer based organisation, the support TMSA receives from

councils is extremely important and their future depends on this

continued support. To find out more about TMSA visit www.tasmanian.

mensshed.org.au

Men’s Shed Members with Executive Officer Wendy Kennedy

LG Tas April 2019 | PAGE 5

Registrations are now open for 107th LGAT Annual Conference held at Wrest Point, Hobart, 3 - 5 July!

This year’s Conference theme is “Finding

Your Voice” recognising the unique voices

across Local Government as a sector, as

individuals and as communities.

We are particularly excited this year to

welcome many new faces to our sector

with fresh ideas and ready to benefit from

shared knowledge. Whether you are new

to the sector, or a past delegate, the 107th

LGAT Annual Conference offers an exciting

program suitable for everyone! Our plenary

presenters include:

• Heather Rose - Award winning and

bestselling Tasmanian author of seven

novels.

• Penny Terry - former ABC radio

presenter and Creative Director of

‘Healthy Tasmania’

• Mayor, Tim Shadbolt - New Zealand’s

longest serving Mayor

• Mayor David O’Loughlin - President

of the Australian Local Government

Association

• Matt Pinnegar - CEO of the Local

Government Association of South

Australia

The panel session is back with a timely

focus on the Federal sphere of Government

and how Local Government can best have

an influential voice. Our workshop program

includes more opportunity to collaborate

and learn from each other.

This year we are featuring a series of local

case studies on citizen engagement and

world café sessions on key policy issues

for our sector. A symposium featuring

the Road Safety Advisory Council, the

Mental Health Council of Tasmania and

Volunteering Tasmania will bring together

some important voices impacting Local

Government.

Enjoy plenty of time for networking and

catching up at our welcome reception,

conference dinner and lunchtimes and

we encourage you to peruse the Trade

Exhibit at your leisure. Our much loved

Coffee Corner is back, again with re-

usable cups and you are welcome to

bring your own! Don’t forget your LGAT

reusable bag from last year and to join the

conversation on Twitter during conference

at #LGATconf2019.

For the latest program information please

visit - www.lgat.tas.gov.au

107TH LGAT ANNUAL CONFERENCE

LGAT - Follow Us!

On Twitter

@LGATasmania

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The Pulse

(monthly enewsletter)

www.lgat.tas.gov.au

Key Note Speaker - Heather Rose Speaker - Penny Terry Speaker - Mayor Tim Shadbolt

326 Macquarie Street, Hobart, Tasmania 7000Phone (03) 6146 3740 Email reception@lgat.tas.gov.auwww.lgat.tas.gov.au